DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In a thrilling encounter, Trey Thomas powered Bethune-Cookman to a narrow victory over Southwestern Athletic Conference leader Southern, clinching a 70-69 win on Saturday. Thomas played a pivotal role by scoring 20 points, which helped Bethune-Cookman overcome the Jaguars, delivering Southern their second loss in conference play.
The defeat has narrowed Southern’s (18-10, 13-2) lead in the SWAC standings to just two games over Jackson State with only three matches remaining in the regular season. Meanwhile, Bethune-Cookman (14-15, 11-5) advanced to third place, trailing by two-and-a-half games in the standings.
Besides his scoring spree, Thomas contributed significantly with five assists for the Wildcats. Teammate Kalil Camara added to the victory by netting 18 points with an impressive shooting performance — hitting 5 of 6 shots, including 4 of 5 from beyond the arc, and was 4 of 5 from the free-throw line, as well as making three crucial steals. David Onanina also played a crucial part, securing 13 points with a notable accuracy of 6 of 8 from the field.
On the other side, Michael Jacobs stood out for the Jaguars with 19 points, supported by Damariee Jones who contributed 11 points along with three crucial steals. Cam Amboree also had an impactful game, finishing with 10 points and three steals.
The teams are set to return to the court on Monday, with Bethune-Cookman preparing to face Grambling at home, while Southern will hit the road to take on Florida A&M.
